Vol 21 Chapter 3 (1/2)

Chapter 3 - Youngster 1

The heat he felt from his head definitely wasn't a mistake.

But, to Layfon, there was no time right now to think about this.

”Hu, hah......”

He didn't have time to talk about his feelings.

It felt like a miracle that he could even draw forth time to regulate his breathing.

If defense could be ignored in battles aboveground and one could completely focus on unleas.h.i.+ng attacks, then the battle currently occurring here was a quiet, delicate crystallization of skill.

”Hah......”

In Layfon's hands was grasped the original blade form of the s.h.i.+m Adamantium Dite, and connected to the haft was the Sapphire Dite; the steel threads formed from it were quietly hidden around the light blue horizon.

They had separated, in order to play their necessary role on this battlefield.

Right now, the true nature of the blue darkness that filled Layfon's surroundings was a coc.o.o.n that Layfon and Lintence's steel threads had made. Because of the effects of various Kei light, it shone in a blue color.

The size of the coc.o.o.n was about as large as the seventeenth platoon's training room in the Military Arts facility.

If only training were considered, it was sufficient for seven people to use at once, but if one wanted to fight seriously, it was possible that it would feel rather small. It was that kind of s.p.a.ce.

Near the center of the coc.o.o.n was Lævateinn.

She no longer stood still, but moved back and forth and left and right, leaping and turning.

There would occasionally be slight movements in the surrounding air, and though the fine sounds brought killing intent, they were all leisurely avoided by Lævateinn.

The true nature of the sounds was Lintence's steel threads. Though Layfon who regulated his breathing also released steel threads to battle, up through now he had been thought of as a burden and had been warned.

The blades of steel threads were freely moving, uncountable blades that could attack mercilessly from various angles, and Layfon avoided the attacks with movements impossible for a human.

Like the steel threads, Layfon's slashes were also completely and cleverly avoided by Lævateinn.

Her hands grasped a rapier, and though it looked as if she wanted to counterattack, she had stopped her attacks before it.

Lintence's steel threads had made her stop her action.

But, Lintence's intervention was only this much. Right now was a time when he should regulate his breathing, to keep from being too much of a burden to him.

Layfon moved after this, a strike aimed at her throat being blocked by the rapier, sparks lighting up a side of the coc.o.o.n in a moment.

The slash that had been deflected once again changed its path aiming at various parts of Lævateinn, but every one was blocked, and every strong counterattack that a.s.saulted Layfon was meant to end his life.

Layfon avoided these counterattacks either by blocking them or by dodging, and then once again attacked. This would once again be blocked, and then countered.

In this kind of repeated high-speed trading of blows, the weariness to the mind would be stronger than the fatigue of the body.

And when the weariness of the mind made his breathing become irregular, that would directly affect his physical limits.

”d.a.m.n!”

Layfon noticed that his focus was in disarray, quickly retreating from the swordfight that seemed to want to suck him in.

Lævateinn didn't pursue. Because she already felt the steel threads full of killing intent that had taken shape between the two of them in an instant.

Afterwards, Layfon once again watched Lævateinn's inhuman dodging movements while he regulated his breathing.

How many times had this process repeated already?

Layfon didn't even want to think about it.

He knew that the opponent had strong regenerative ability and destructive power.

But Layfon hadn't thought that she could use weapons to battle like he did. That had been unexpected.

And because she wasn't human, she could make movements that Layfon and Lintence couldn't, and though the joint-ignoring movements were mostly to avoid Lintence's steel threads, she would also move like this through Layfon's sword dance.

Even if he understood that she had the appearance of a human but made inhuman movements, his reactions would become slow. Though it was only a split second of delay, that delay was a threat to Layfon's life, and he understood this, feeling annoyed at himself who couldn't respond well.

Though he had toughed it out until now, it meant that a slight mistake would end his life.

”As expected, burning her down completely in a moment is a better method.”

Saying this, Layfon once again rushed at Lævateinn.

Speaking of which, the original use for the construction of this 'coc.o.o.n' was to remove places that the enemy could escape to, and then use Kei to heat up the entire thing.

But, they hadn't done this.

Because they didn't believe that they could completely incinerate her.

Even with the two of them together, they couldn't burn this girl whose form was even smaller than his, Layfon's instincts said.

It wasn't Layfon's judgment alone.

Lintence had also felt this.

So, the use of the coc.o.o.n hadn't been to burn her, but to prevent the fine substance that composed her body from scattering out and closing in. They had carried out close combat in order to slightly weaken her a bit.

Also, the purpose of this coc.o.o.n wasn't only to limit the opponent's actions, but also to stop her from using external regeneration.

Ma.s.s wasn't limitless. Restoring something that had been lost to how it had been before definitely required spending something. There was definitely some substance supporting this strong regenerative ability from behind. And Lintence had noticed that this substance was spread around the surrounding buildings as the buildings crumbled in the battle recently.

If they stopped the supplements from the outside, then she would have to use things inside her body when she regenerated.

This way, even if it couldn't be seen from the outside, it was a fact that she was continuously depleting herself.

But......

”Ugh......”

Being blocked, being countered, and then doing the same to her. Even if the process was different, the reality hadn't changed.

Lævateinn hadn't taken a single injury.

All that was being depleted was Layfon and Lintence's strength.

”......What do we do?”

No longer knowing how many times he had retreated, Layfon asked. The expression of Lintence behind him was several times more vicious than normal.

He has originally thought this, but after Layfon glanced at him he noticed that this wasn't the case.

His eyes were slightly slanted, and his mouth was slightly pointed upwards. Though Layfon's gaze didn't completely move from Lævateinn's body, still......

Looking at Lintence's expression for a moment, he was smiling?

”......Though this kind of method isn't too bad, we're wasting too much time.”

The steel threads brought sound to Layfon's ears, who was once again carrying out close combat with Lævateinn.

”Remove your steel threads from the coc.o.o.n.”

Lintence said.

Layfon used the moment when he retreated to take out his steel threads from the coc.o.o.n, and in order not to obstruct Lintence, he returned his Sapphire Dite to its unrestored state.

”Grab any opportunity yourself.”

The words that Lintence said showed that he was thinking that if one person could resolve this alone then that person should do so. Layfon changed his internal Kei to external Kei, and then surveyed the situation.

Lintence's movements were very fast.

The ground beneath his feet began to sway, and the coc.o.o.n changed.

The place where Layfon and Lintence were moved apart from the place where Lævateinn was.

”I won't let you go!”

Layfon released external Kei towards Lævateinn who was preparing to escape from the gap that had appeared.

But even if there was a gap, she couldn't escape like that. Lintence's Kei filled this place, forming a wall.

After Lævateinn was blocked by Lintence's Kei, she was sent flying by Layfon's external Kei. She returned to the coc.o.o.n that had begun shrinking.

Like a bag being closed shut, the coc.o.o.n surrounding Lævateinn became smaller and smaller.

External-type Kei variant, Sougenkyouku Houraku.

Lintence's Kei continuously exploded inside the coc.o.o.n. The coc.o.o.n that surrounded Lævateinn with the same shape as her body swelled up because of the high pressure produced from the continuous blasts.

Before the heat inside, anything would be incinerated no matter what it was...... that should have been how things went.

But, Layfon and Lintence hadn't quickly carried out this move. Even if the coc.o.o.n had already completed its form.

They had also said before, that they didn't believe it would succeed.

And that way of thinking was still the same now.

Releasing external Kei, after sending Lævateinn back into the coc.o.o.n, Layfon quickly restored the Sapphire Dite to the steel threads, creating a new coc.o.o.n with Lævateinn as the center.

In this period Lintence used a Kei technique. The steel threads that he wove didn't let a bit of heat leak outwards. But, the strong vibrations of Kei battered Layfon.

Lintence's technique had been completed, and had been unleashed. Nothing could exist that could withstand this move.

But, his heart was still filled with anxiety.

At the same time that Layfon's coc.o.o.n completed, Lintence opened his coc.o.o.n, releasing the remaining heat, forming flame that spread in all directions.

”Ugh!”

The flame and heat that swelled out with surprising momentum pressed against the coc.o.o.n Layfon had created, trying to escape outside from the gaps between the steel threads.

Layfon watched the gaps that the flames flew out from.

Even if he felt that there wasn't anything that could live through this situation, he still wanted to rely on his own eyes to confirm.

But, she was there.

Inside the inferno was shown a dark shadow that was trying to stand up.

”Layfon!”

”Okay!”

Layfon tensely shot out a reply to Lintence's shout, quickly understanding his meaning.

In this situation, in this position, in this construction, there was only one thing he could do, because he had originally planned this.

The coc.o.o.n formed by the steel threads pushed the heat back to the center. Layfon's Kei endlessly rushed through his Kei vein, almost as if trying to ignite it, forming the Kei of Composite Blast.

The coc.o.o.n was shrunk in a moment, covering the heat, and Kei explosions occurred.

External-type Kei, Composite Blast variant, Sougenkyouku Houraku.

At the same time as the explosions were produced, the steel threads received extremely great pressure. What held this back was also Layfon's Kei. Coordinated with the explosions inside, the steel threads simultaneously released external Kei inwards. The forceful skill that further increased the limits of the explosion's might required mental preparation.

”Guah...... Ugh......”

Layfon made painful gasps, releasing the steel threads. Compared to Lintence, the time that Layfon had held out could be said to be nothing.

Even so, if the coc.o.o.n was released the heat would expand outwards, sending Layfon flying.

Before he was scorched by his own Kei technique, Lintence's steel threads formed a defensive formation blocking the heat.

The flames licking the s.p.a.ce before him were pushed back, and Lintence's steel threads once again formed a coc.o.o.n, wrapping up the heat.

The third Houraku. If this time succeeded, then perhaps the confidence that Layfon and Lintence didn't feel would grow out.

They looked forward to this.

But...... that also meant they were convinced that even up to now they hadn't been able to defeat her.

They could feel that even now, Lævateinn still existed in the center of the technique's flames.

Inauspicious thoughts mixed into the gaps of his thinking, becoming black ink and spreading outwards.

While he threw that way of thinking out of his head, Lintence completed his steel thread coc.o.o.n.

The coc.o.o.n once again sealed off the heat......

But.

Everything stopped.

Layfon was unable to make a sound.

The coc.o.o.n had essentially finished, and its center was glowing red by the overflowing heat.

The final touch.

Yes, before he gave the coc.o.o.n the final touch, that thing emerged.

It looked like it had broken through the heat and appeared.

But, though it seemed like that, it really wasn't, and Layfon also understood this.

It was a thing that had suddenly appeared before the coc.o.o.n.

It had suddenly appeared, and then grabbed Lintence's steel threads.

”Tch.”

Lintence clicked his tongue and released the coc.o.o.n.

The heat overflowed, flames scattering outwards. The pressurized heat made Layfon only able to retreat backwards.

At the same time, that thing's figure appeared.

No, it should be said that it created a figure.

While it burned, it restored itself to its original state.

Its hair burned as it regenerated its bones, flesh, and then was covered by skin. Its eyes ignored the heat of the flames, making Layfon s.h.i.+ver thinking of what would come next.

”As expected, the methods we've always used won't work.”

He wove words from his originally tightly shut lips.

”But, I have no reason to fight with you.”

Layfon and the others were currently standing in a reinforced area underground. The area underground the palace was empty except for some machinery and pa.s.sageways leading to other facilities, so it was a suitable place for the coc.o.o.n just now.

And now, that coc.o.o.n was no longer there.

Lævateinn who had returned to her original state began falling with the flames.

”Wait!”

After a moment of pause, Layfon chased after Lævateinn who descended with a trail of fire, also descending.

Lintence also followed behind.

He used the reinforcements and pa.s.sageways to chase Lævateinn while using his steel threads to search the surroundings.

Layfon felt that Lævateinn who descended with a trail of fire would simply continue going down to the depths of the city.

But, he definitely couldn't let her succeed.

Even if she had made some detours, he feared that in the end she would arrive at her destination.

At that end point was a huge, dome-shaped building.

It wasn't the Mechanical Department. It was a place connected under the Mechanical Department.

In the building before him, Layfon didn't feel the heat and noise that he had experienced countless times in the Mechanical Department of Zuellni.

Then it could be that inside there was Saya, who Harpe had spoken about.